(Leroi Comrie at a City Hall news conference, taking a question from the Executive Director)

The Queens Councilman, who may very well become a candidate in the upcoming Borough President's race in 2009, issued the following statement on Friday regarding the ongoing controversy surrounding the Sonny Carson street re-naming efforts. In it, he took aim at Plummer and, her subsequent assassination remarks directed toward him:

“I was disheartened to see the New York City Council torn apart on the issue of the Sonny Carson street renaming. While I am confident that this body will endure, I am disturbed by the apparent failure to reach a consensus on this issue. Even moreso, divisive and repugnant remarks by members and staffers of this body, during and after the Stated meeting, is an issue that must be addressed.

“Threats of assassination made by Viola Plummer, chief of staff to Councilmember Charles Barron, clearly crossed the line. And the reckless remarks by Ms. Plummer, as an employee of the City of New York, cannot be tolerated and it is my opinion that she should be fired immediately. Considering the recent history of this Council, the word ‘assassination’ clearly evokes painful memories of our late colleague James Davis.